Heart's Healing
by LadyoftheRing1
Summary: I really couldn't tell you how it happened. Perhaps it was the result of a subconscious dream or deep-rooted prayer. I will warn you: my story is strange. It all started when I fell through the sidewalk. Yes, you read correctly, through the sidewalk...
1. Default Chapter

****

Disclaimer: (Author's muse enters a start white empty expanse wearing black hakama pants and a white gi top, her Samurai sword hanging ready at her hip. She pulls out a scroll, unrolls it, clears her throat and begins to read:

The Author of this fiction would like to express her sorrow of the fact that she does not own Dragon Ball Z, any of its characters the characters Jen and Tabitha in this story are hers, or Starbucks. If she did, she wouldn't be answering phones to put herself through college.

She does welcome your pity for this and your comments. Flames, however, will be handed over to an irate Vegeta who will handle them in any manner he deems appropriate Muse gulps. 

Thank You.

Muse rolls up scroll, bows and exits)

****

Introduction:

I really couldn't tell you how it happened. Perhaps it was the result of a subconscious wish or deep-rooted prayer. I will warn you: my story is strange, in fact it's unbelievable. But I ask you to sit through to the end. Who knows, maybe you'll learn something. 

I suppose it would help if I gave you some background on myself. Strange, but all I can give you is some. I have been here for so long my life before seems but a fading dream. My name is Jennifer - Jen to everyone who knows me. I have another name as well, a recent acquirement, but that will be explained in due time. I used to be a college student and secretary. I drove an average car, lived in a small, 2 bedroom apartment, worked 5 days a week and struggled to scrape together enough change to buy a double shot of espresso at Starbucks. I didn't like my job, studied too hard and eked out small increments of time to scribble some poetry. That all seems so irrelevant now, so trivial. I can laugh about it now.

If you're interested, I'm about 5'5" with gray/blue eyes and long blond hair. I'm not repulsive looking; I'd say I'm average. Yes, average - that pretty much sums up my life. Former life: I don't know, would you call it a past life? However you want to put it, that's how things were. As to how things are, that requires some explaining...ok, a lot of explaining. As I stated earlier, it's quite unbelievable. So let me tell you this story - my story- and you can judge if for yourself. It all started when I fell through a sidewalk. Yes, you read correctly, through a sidewalk...

AN: Ok, be honest, what do you think? Did that whet your appetite? Don't worry, those loveable Z fighters are coming up next! I welcome your comments as well as your constructive criticism. This is my first submitted fan-fiction so don't be too brutal! The sending in of my other fics is dependent on your response to this one. (If you're interested, they are Gundam Wing as well as some book fanfic.) I appreciate your reviews!


	2. Hearts Healing

****

For disclaimer, see introduction

Chapter One

Jennifer realized something was wrong as soon as it happened-who wouldn't. Oddly enough, she didn't panic. The other girl - the one screaming- seemed somewhat less at ease. One minute she was running her usual weekend, midmorning jog. The next she was falling through blackness. Nothingness. A void had opened in the pavement and swallowed her and the girl she had just greeted. The other girl -who was still screaming at an eardrum piercing level- had been running toward her. They reached each other, nodded a hello and then the world fell out from under their feet

**

Dende had no idea what he was doing, but it seemed fun. You couldn't blame the young guarding, really. He was bored - sitting in the Lookout every day with no one to talk to. Well, there was Mr. Popo, but all he did was garden all day and mumble occasionally things like, 'When Kami was here...' and 'Kami did things this way...'. Oh yeah, there was also Piccolo. He was usually around if he wasn't out mediating somewhere. Not that he was great company. He really wasn't much of a conversationalist and whenever they did speak, nine times out of ten it turned into an argument.

So Dende had decided it would be fun to go through the archives and see what he could find to keep himself amused. He rooted through countless volumes ranging from plants and literature to ancient Namekian love rituals and Folklore of the Sandizies. His green fingers finally rested on a book entitled Interdimensional Spells and Lore. 

_Hmmmmm, interesting... _Dende picked up the book and began thumbing through it on his way back to his perch.

_Oooohhh... _his black eyes widened and glinted mischievously. He was reading a chapter on Interdimensional Transport. Dende curled up into his chair everyone teasingly called 'The Throne' and began reading. He became very interested in a spell for opening the 'Interdimensional Space/Time continuum' that would close seconds later. It was meant for quick spying and hasty retreats. He suddenly got a wild idea. Why not try it? What could it hurt? It's not like anyone would ever know.AN: O Dende, how very wrong you were

He tiptoed to the side entrance and peeked around the corner. Mr. Popo was watering some flowers, oblivious to everything else. He tiptoed to the front entrance. A small smile crossed his face; Piccolo was standing at the edge of the Lookout, staring into oblivion as usual. Dende returned to his 'Throne', placed the large book in his lap and began reading.

Piccolo was deep in thought - about what even he wasn't sure. Things around him were changing. Gohan and Videl were engaged and spent pretty much every waking hour together. Vegeta has suddenly decided he wanted a hand in training his son again and Krillin decided he'd find the Dragon Balls and wish Goku back whether he liked it or not. So he and 18 recovered them and did just that. Surprisingly, Goku didn't care and was enjoying being a daddy again (Goten wasn't complaining either).

That pretty much left Piccolo by himself. He could go see what Mr. Popo was doing. _Yeah, right, like that would ever happen _. Dende? _No way. Last time that little punk spoke to me he had annoyed the crap out of me! _So Piccolo continued standing and looking. He'd never admit it (not even to himself) but he was lonely. _Great! No battles and I go soft. Damn it! I'm blaming Gohan for this._

While he was grumbling, complaining and arguing to himself, a rise in Dende's ki snapped him back to the Lookout. _What is that guy up to now? _No sooner had he asked that, his sensitive hearing picked up...screaming? Yes, it was definitely a woman screaming and it was coming from inside the Lookout. It was followed by a slap and a dull thud.

_Uh-oh..._ Dende closed the book and stuffed it quickly under the cushion of 'The Throne'.

Jen had landed on one side, her hand slapping hard at the polished marble floor. The other girl landed hard on her butt. She must have been dazed because (thankfully) she had stopped screaming. Jen shook her head to clear the sharp sick feeling she felt from slapping the floor so hard. When it subsided, she looked around amazed at her surroundings. Where just seconds before there had been a pine tree lined sidewalk running alongside a busy road, there were now huge stone columns. She seems to have fallen into some vase temple. It reminded her from the pictures in her Art History book of ancient Greece. In the center, a few feet in front of her, was a raised platform on which appeared to be a throne. And in front of this throne stood - what? Jen blinked a few times and then focused again on the figure in front of her. It seemed at first glance a teenage boy, about 18 or 19 only he had green skin, antennae and he was wearing a robe.

Dende cocked his head to one side and regarded the two girls with curiosity. One of them, the girl who had landed on her butt, was unconscious. She had short black hair and a nice tan. She was wearing some sort of tight blue pants with black shorts over them. Her sweatshirt was red and matched her sneakers. The other girl appeared approximately the same age, maybe slightly older than himself. She was dressed in all black and her long blond hair was pulled back. Her eyes were searching the Great Hall and then rested on him. He smiled. Her eyes were pretty, grayish-blue.

'Hello,' he said.

Jen arched an eyebrow then spoke, 'Hi.'

Dende slowly approached her. His experience with humans, especially with women, was that they didn't take very well to tall green guys with fangs. As he approached her, she visibly tensed but didn't move. She kept her eyes locked on his. They were black as night she observed and his green skin flawless. His features were sharp, yet still possessed some youthful roundness. His smile was warm despite his fangs. Yes, she had to look twice, he had fangs.

He stopped in front of her and extended her hand. She took it, tentatively, and allowed him to help her up. He was a bit taller than she was.

'Your friend seems to have not taken the fall as well as you.'

'Oh, I don't know her.' Jen noticed his confused expression. 'I guess she just...fell in with me.' She looked around some more. 'Where am I? More importantly, how did I get here?'

Dende's smile went sheepish. 'Well, uh, that's my fault. You see-'

'Dende!' Piccolo's deep voice boomed thought out the cavernous room.

'Uh-oh', Dende seemed to shrink, hunching his shoulders and biting his lip.

'What the hell is all that racket!' He looked down at Jen and at the still unconscious girl. 'Who the hell are they?'

Jen's expression went from shocked to pissed. 'I could ask you the same question!!' she shouted back, 'Who the hell are you?' She was facing Piccolo and couldn't see Dende vigorously shaking his head at her reaction.

This guy was tall and built. He was the same species as the other one only he was older and ruder.

'None of your damn business,' he turned his questions to the younger guy, 'Dende, who the hell is this and what happened to that one?'

The other girl could not have picked a more inopportune time to wake up. She sat up, rubbing her head, waiting for her vision to clear. When it did, her eyes rested (of course) on Piccolo and the screaming started all over again, shrilly and at about the same decibel level as a jet engine.

Piccolo and Dende plugged their ears; Jen just winced and shook her head.

'Can you shut her up!' Piccolo growled.

'Quit screaming, you jerk! She's scared to death! It's not her fault!' Jen matched his anger with her own.

'And you're saying it's mine?'

'I don't care whose it is!' Jen knelt beside the frightened girl who as now near hysterics. 'Hey, hey, calm down.' The girl finally quit slapping at Jen and stopped screaming. She didn't take her eyes off of Piccolo. 'Hey! Look at me...' Jen placed her hands on the girl's shoulders. The girl shook her head viciously and pointed a shaking finger at Piccolo.

'Wh-what is that?'

Piccolo rolled his eyes, crossed his arms over his chest and mumbled something about stupid human women. Jennifer shot him what Dende could only describe afterwards as a death glare. He decided to intervene before things got any worse between the two of them.

'His name is Piccolo. My name is Dende.' The girl's eyes cut between Dende and Piccolo. Jen, however, kept her gaze locked on Piccolo, daring him to say anything else. Piccolo glared back.

'What are you?'

Dende walked over to her. Her eyes widened and she seemed frozen with fear. 'I'm a Namek. So is Piccolo. Don't worry, I won't bite.' The girl arched an eyebrow and shot him a 'yeah right' glance.

'He won't either. Besides, I don't think that other girl would let him.' He offered his hand to her and she shakily accepted.

'Th-thanks.'

Dende smiled, 'No problem.'

'My name's Tabitha.'

'Nice to meet you Tabitha.'

Tabitha looked over at Jen as if seeing her for the first time. Jen was standing now, posture rigid.

'What are you, an elf?'

'Um, not that I know of. My name is Jennifer.'

'Didn't I just pass you running?'

'Yes.'

'Where are we?'

Three pairs of eyes (Piccolo's included) turned to Dende.

'Ah...hehehe...I can explain,' he held his hands up.

'Start explaining. And it had better be good.' Piccolo crossed his arms again and scowled.

Dende swallowed hard and began, 'Ok, but first, Piccolo, you have to promise not to explode. And you-' he pointed to Tabitha '-have to promise not to scream. And you-' he turned to Jen, 'Um, just don't kill me...hear me out before you react.'

Dende explained to them where they were: Earth, only in another dimension. Some jaws dropped at that. He then proceeded to explain how they were brought to his dimension.

'Dende! How many times have I told you NOT to play with the books of magic?'

'I wasn't playing, Piccolo. I was bored!'

'Ok, time.' Jen stepped between the two Nameks. 'You, chill out before you blow a blood vessel or something. You-don't provoke him or I'll let him blow something!' Both Nameks looked at her in shock. Dende because Piccolo actually listened to her and Piccolo because he couldn't believe this woman was capable of such a commanding presence.

'Now, you're telling me we're on earth-'

'Yes.'

'Only in an alternate dimension-'

'Yes.' Dende nodded.

'Mmmm..and you brought us here-accidentally-because you were bored, got creative and opened a portal between the dimensions.'

'Yes,' Dende looked at the floor and scuffed the ground with one foot.

Tabitha's lower lip quivered.

_If that woman cries I swear- _Piccolo thought viciously. His thoughts this time were interrupted by two other occupants of the same mind.

_You'll do what? _Kami's sarcasm was apparent. _Blast her into a million pieces?_

Or better yet, Nail couldn't be left out, _Why don't you fight her. You've been desperate for a challenge for months now._

Shut up both of you! I am in no mood to argue with either of you today.

It's hardly any argument at all...Nail mumbled.

_What!_

Nothing...

Piccolo turned his attention back to Jen and Dende, ignoring Tabitha. Jennifer was standing, back straight, arms crossed, an unreadable expression on her face.

_Hey, _Kami piped up, _She's pretty._

Yeah, Nail agreed, _And that defiant expression reminds me of someone..._

Hmmm, Piccolo? Kami suggested.

_Both of you shut up! I told you, I am in no mood to listen to your incessant babbling. And she looks nothing like me!_

Dende waited for a repremend from Jen, or worse, a berating. Neither came.

'Hmmm, interesting. How did you do it?'

'Huh?' Dende was taken aback by her lack of shock or anger or stress at the situation.

'How did you do it? How did you bring us here? You said something about a book. Are you a wizard?'

'A wizard? No, I'm, well, I'm a guardian.'

'A guardian?'

'Yes. The guardian of the Earth.'

Both Jen and Tabitha looked at him.

'This is my home located on a Lookout. I can stand or sit here and watch over the whole earth.'

'No Way! You expect me to believe that!' Tabitha looked at the verge of tears again. 'This has got to be a joke! Or somebody has drugged us or I'm still asleep - YEOW!' Tabitha rubbed her arm where Jen had just pinched her.

'Well, that dispels the sleep theory. And how do you propose we were drugged? Someone was hiding in the bushes across the street with poisoned tip darts and blow guns?'

'Well how do you explain it?'

Jennifer, with arms still crossed began walking around the large room. She stopped at a column and ran a hand across it. It was smooth and cool. 'I don't think I want to,' she answered softly.

To that Tabitha went into a rant to rival a hurricane. Dende spent his energies trying to calm her. Piccolo on the other hand was watching Jennifer. She was basically ignoring the scene Tabitha was making (which has calmed down considerably thanks to Dende's efforts). Jen was now walking toward the elevated chair. The carvings along the legs and arms were like nothing she'd ever seen before. Jen traced her fingers along some of them. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw something move. Mr. Popo had heard all of the commotion and came around to investigate. 

Jen couldn't help but stare at the short, jet black, round genie-looking fellow.

'Oh, hello. Are you a guest of Dende's?' he asked.

'Well, you could say that. He did bring us here.'

'Us?' 

Jen pointed toward Tabitha who was now standing next to Dende quietly. Tabitha's eyes widened as she pointed and asked, 'What is that?'

'That's Mr. Popo. He lives here with me.'

Mr. Popo waved cheerfully. Tabitha managed a weak smile. Jennifer greeted him with a 'Hi.'

Dende looked up at Piccolo who was still watching Jennifer. Why he was watching her, he couldn't say, but something about her intrigued him. Maybe it was her lack of over-emotional reaction that he had come to associate with women. Maybe it was the fact she acted as if all of the seemingly impossible that had just happened to her was no big deal.

_Maybe it's because she's pretty? _Nail broke into his thoughts.

Piccolo chose to ignore him. Much to his dismay, however he could not ignore the truth of the statement. And thatbothered him greatly.

'Piccolo?'

Piccolo looked down at the young guardian, 'What.'

'Um, do you think we should tell the others?'

'Why?'

'Well, uh, I guess because they are human, or at least look more human than we do. Perhaps they would feel more comfortable around their own kind.'

Piccolo once again turned his attention to Jennifer. The blond was now being amused by something Mr. Popo was telling her. Her laughter echoed throughout the Great Chamber. Her laughter stirred something inside the older Namek. Something deep with in. She suddenly reminded him of Gohan. Her laughter was carefree and innocent-pure. She laughed again, tossing her head back, the sound ringing like a thousand silver bells in Piccolo's ears. His eyes widened.

_Where the hell did that come from?_

Well, I'll be. I didn't know you had it in you. Kami said.

_Yeah, it seems Piccolo here is just full of surprises, _Nail agreed.

_What are you two blabbing about?_

You like her Kami said.

_WHAT!_

You do!

I don't even know her! Even if I did, she's human, I'm Namek...she's a woman! Women are weak!

She seemed pretty strong to me when she told you off earlier Nail commented.

_Shut up!_

And she's really pretty. Kami continued.

_Both of you! I do not like her! I can't!_

He looked over at her, now talking with Tabitha. It seemed she'd been able to finally calm the poor girl down. Piccolo realized he was staring and physically shook himself out of it.

'Piccolo? Are you alright?' Dende had been watching him watching Jen.

'I'm fine.' He snapped. 'I'm going to get Goku.'

_Yep, you like her. _Kami whispered.

_This could get very interesting, _Nail whispered back.

_I said shut up!_


End file.
